It's not nature, otherwise every location would have the time set exactly to the sun. Instead we have pre determined time zones, and Japan spreads broadly with the sun rising at different times depending on east or west location yet every prefecture sets their clocks to the same time.

To make it more even, east Japan should move their clocks forward an hour to join the time zone it is teetering on anyway.

I don't think it is really appropriate to be upset at Japanese for being conscious of foreign heritage, they didn't grow up in the multicultural societies that we did. Things are changing though thanks to Naomi and others who attract attention to the topic.

I have two haafu daughters, the oldest in middle school, and they are very well accepted by their peers for who they are. Soon these young peers will become the majority of the population and heritage will no longer be a hot topic.

Work style reform (hatarakikata kaikaku) should be about making inefficient work practices more efficient. Anyone who has bought a house in this country will know how much work is involved in being an agent.

Elderly drivers on the streets is one of many reasons why people on their bikes should look before entering a road, not ride on the wrong side or the center of the road, etc. Confidence seems to trump common sense these days. I'm speaking in a general sense, not about this particular incident.